Daily Mirror

Sir Cliff weeps in court

SIR CLIFF TELLS OF AGONY OVER ‘BEEB RAID’ Singer breaks down in court as he relives ordeal

- BY TOM PETTIFOR Chief Crime Correspond­ent tom.pettifor@mirror.co.uk

SIR Cliff Richard broke down yesterday as he told a court he felt “tainted” and “smeared” worldwide by the BBC naming him as a suspected paedophile.

The veteran singer wept as he apologised to the judge for losing his composure, saying: “The police didn’t do that to me, the BBC did.”

During 90 minutes of testimony Sir Cliff, 77, told the High Court he has spent more than £3.5million on the case so far and feared he would suffer a “heart attack or stroke” after the allegation was made.

He said: “Coming up to my eightieth birthday, I never thought I would have such gratuitous bills coming. I do blame the BBC.”

Sir Cliff is suing the broadcaste­r after it showed footage of police raiding his home at Sunningdal­e, Berks, in August 2014.

He was being investigat­ed over a historical allegation he sexually abused a boy in Sheffield in 1985. In a lengthy witness statement, made available by his lawyers yesterday, the star said he saw the news on TV while in Portugal, where he has a home on the Algarve.

Telling how he lost the power to stand later that day, he explained: “I collapsed in the kitchen.

“Nothing like it had ever happened to me before. I was just in despair, and felt hopeless and helpless.

“I felt as though I was in a hole, with no means of getting out, and I was on my knees in the kitchen sobbing.

“At that moment I couldn’t see how I could face the future, my friends, or family.”

Giving evidence, Sir Cliff choked as he listed countries where he claims his reputation was damaged – including the Netherland­s, Belgium, Portugal, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. He said: “Everywhere I have ever been, I felt my name was smeared.”

Wiping away tears, he clasped his hands to his face before telling the judge while making a praying gesture: “I’m so sorry.” Sir Cliff said the BBC journalist­s involved “felt they were above the law” and “above the Leveson report”.

Wearing a dark suit, striped shirt and navy tie, the star asked to be called Sir Cliff rather than “Mr”.

The singer also insisted on standing while giving testimony to the court room, packed with lawyers, media, fans and friends.

Among them were TV star pal Gloria Hunniford and former priest companion Father John McElynn.

Sometimes joking, at other moments becoming visibly angry

At one point I actually thought I was going to have a heart attack SIR CLIFF RICHARD ON IMPACT OF BBC BROADCAST

and upset, Sir Cliff struggled to contain his emotions as he read diary extracts covering the period after his home was raided.

He said: “It was really painful for me to read criticism from the BBC saying I was spending too much money on my lawyers.

“This was such a vile, serious allegation that I got the best people.”

Despite his tan and full head of hair, the singer looked frail and thin.

He repeatedly had to ask BBC barrister Gavin Miller to speak up and repeat himself as he leaned forward, straining to hear the questions.

The star also occasional­ly looked confused about which document he should be looking at.

Talking about the “impact” of the broadcast, he said in his witness statement: “It was shocking and upsetting. My health suffered, both mentally and physically.”

He added: “At one point ... I actually thought I was going to have a heart attack or stroke.” Sir Cliff said he was conscious people may think he was a “serious criminal”. The chart-topper added: “It felt as though everything I had worked for during my life – trying to live as honestly and honourably as I could – was being torn apart. “I felt forever tainted. I still do.” Sir Cliff said he was unable to sleep for the period between August 2014 and June 2016, before finding out that prosecutor­s were not “going to be taking further action”.

He said he “never felt right at all” during that period and was forced to take sleeping tablets.

“During the day there was an everpresen­t knot in my stomach,” he added. “I’d wake up in the middle of the night, going over things in my head again and again.” Sir Cliff also said he lost a “considerab­le amount” of weight, adding: “Sometimes I looked in the mirror, and it felt like someone else, a much older version of myself, was looking back at me.

He said he had felt unable to return to his Sunningdal­e apartment.

“I never went back except to pack up my belongings,” he admitted.

“In my mind it had become contaminat­ed. I didn’t feel comfortabl­e there any longer. I have, in fact, been burgled before, and this for me was a worse experience.”

When asked how he felt during the police probe, Sir Cliff replied: “I have found it very disturbing because it is obvious that for moments, if not days, I was not seen as a human being.” The singer’s voice cracked as he recalled seeing the news item in Portugal after returning from a winery tour.

He said the memory was “engraved” and he witnessed footage from cameras which could see “right into” his apartment and had recorded officers searching his belongings.

Sir Cliff said: “I felt confused; disturbed and very upset.

“It was like I was watching burglars in my apartment, going through my personal belongings.”

He told the court: “I’ve found it very disturbing that I was not seen as another human being.”

Referring to Dan Johnson, the BBC reporter who broke the story, he continued: “My first feelings of revenge and hate had nothing to do with Mr Johnson, it was for the accuser.

“For someone to take up the cudgels continued the pain and in a way it continues.”

Mr Justice Mann has heard how a man made an allegation about Sir Cliff to the Metropolit­an Police in 2013.

The accuser claimed he was sexually assaulted by the star as a child during a 1985 event featuring evangelist Billy Graham at Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane stadium.

Met officers passed the allegation to South Yorkshire Police in July 2014.

Sir Cliff denied the allegation and in June 2016 prosecutor­s announced that he would face no charges.

The star’s lawyers have posted his full 22-page statement on its website www.simkins.com, as well as giving paper copies to reporters.

Sir Cliff was given a consoling arm over the shoulder by his lawyer Justin Rushbrooke after finishing his evidence. The case, expected to last two weeks, continues.

 ??  ?? COURT
Sir Cliff broke down in the witness box
PORTUGAL
Veteran star’s home on the Algarve
UK HOME
BBC filmed police swoop in Sunningdal­e
COURT Sir Cliff broke down in the witness box PORTUGAL Veteran star’s home on the Algarve UK HOME BBC filmed police swoop in Sunningdal­e
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 ??  ?? SHOW OF SUPPORT Good pal Gloria Hunniford with Cliff at court yesterday
SHOW OF SUPPORT Good pal Gloria Hunniford with Cliff at court yesterday

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